Brownie Cake with Salted Nutella Peanut Butter Frosting

For the brownies:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9″x13″ baking pan with foil (make sure the two ends of foil overhang the ends of the pan because you’ll use them as a handle to remove the finished brownies) and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Unwrap and add the 2 sticks of butter and the chopped chocolate into a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place the pan over very low heat and stir until the butter is melted and the chocolate is almost completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.

Pour the melted mixture into the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a batter blade (or put it into a mixing bowl in which you can use an electric hand mixer.) Add the sugar and mix on medium until combined.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then mix in the vanilla. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, quickly whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add it into the creamed mixture all at once and mix on low just until combined and there are no more dry pockets. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and tap the pan on the counter two or three times to even it out.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or just until the center is set. Do not overbake! Remove the pan from the oven and let the brownies cool completely in the pan.

Use the foil to help you transfer the brownie cake from the pan to a cutting board. Carefully pull the foil out from under the brownie cake.

For the Nutella Peanut Butter Frosting:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, blend the softened butter, Nutella, and peanut butter on high until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and start and stop the blender a couple of times to prevent a POOF of powdered sugar from flying into the air. Once you’re sure you’re in the clear, turn the mixer to high and blend until it is even. Add 2 of the tablespoons of milk or cream and the vanilla extract while the mixer is running. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix on high again until smooth and fluffy, adding some of the additional milk if necessary.

Frost the cooled brownie cake using and offset spatula. Cut it into squares and sprinkle with Maldon sea salt flakes just before serving, grinding them between your fingers over the frosting.